


Lilanette Alphabet

by vivific



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Alphabet drabbles, F/F, Not Beta Read
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-05-09
Updated: 2016-07-02
Packaged: 2018-06-07 10:08:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 20
Words: 12,788
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6799546
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vivific/pseuds/vivific
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>26 one-shots inspired by a word or phrase for each letter of the alphabet. (words are in English, French, Italian and Mandarin Chinese. Because the first three languages are bad with words starting with any letter after "w")</p><p>Some are short, some are a bit longer. The first few are pretty happy, but others can be a bit more on the angsty side. Either way, all of them involve Marinette and Lila, civilian or otherwise.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. A for Affettuosa [Affectionate]

**Author's Note:**

> (I am 100% cheating with the Italian words. I know French and Mandarin Chinese, but I do not know Italian so I'm translating my French words into Italian and hoping they start on the same letter I'm sorry)
> 
>  
> 
> [Check me out on tumblr for more stuff on writing, including wips and previews.](http://vivifics.tumblr.com/)

Lila was a very affectionate person.

It was hardly a bad thing, in Marinette's eyes; the Italian read situations very well and knew when a hug or kiss was inappropriate.

Well, most of the time.

"Lila!" Marinette groaned, frowning. Lila rested her head in Marinette's lap, obstructing the view of the dark haired girl's textbook.

"But I'm bored~" Lila replied in the same, exasperated tone, reaching up to poke Marinette's cheek.

"I have homework," the dark haired girl insisted, tugging her textbook out from under Lila's head, messing up the girl's hair in the process. The teen held the book over Lila's head and tried to resume reading.

Lila sighed and manoeuvered out from under the heavy text and climbed onto the pink-covered bed, lying down on her stomach right above Marinette's head.

"Really, Marinette, it's not _that_ important," Lila whined, pouting even though Marinette couldn't see it.

"It's school work," Marinette insisted. "Besides, the sooner I get it over with, the sooner we can do something else. Now if you'd stop distracting me- Hey!"

In one swift motion, Lila grabbed the textbook and scrambled onto her knees, holding the book high above her head.

"I was reading that!" Marinette scolded, not entirely seriously. She kneeled onto the bed, reaching for the text.

Unfortunately for her, Lila was taller, just by a bit.

Exasperated, the girl pushed the brunette onto her back and snatched back the text. A triumphant grin adorned her face.

"Got it," she sang, before realizing she was sitting on Lila hips.

Lila raised an eyebrow. "Are you trying to start something, Marinette?" she teased, pulling Marinette down to her level.

The textbook slid off the bed with a thud.

Marinette's face flushed red in seconds, and the girl stammered incoherently, blue eyes wide.

Lila burst into laughter, planting a mirthful kiss onto her girlfriend's cheek. "You're too cute sometimes."

"And you're mean sometimes," Marinette accused half-heartedly. She pouted, and Lila felt her heart melt.

"I'll make it up to you," Lila promised. "How about we go out for ice cream?"

Marinette's eyes shifted back to her fallen textbook, but Lila put on her best puppy dog eyes.

The dark haired girl looked about to argue, but sighed in acquiescence.

"Fine," the word had barely left her lips before Lila was untangling them and leaping off the bed. The brunette grabbed the other girl's arm and began dragging her over to the door.

"At least let me get my wallet!"

"I'm paying!" Lila chimed, grabbing her purse and slinging it over her shoulder easily.

"Come on, let's go, you've been cooped up in here all day!"

Marinette sighed, but smiled.

Lila was affectionate at times, sometimes overly so, but it was truly endearing.


	2. B is for 辫子 (biàn zi) [braids]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yes I /could/ have just said "b is for braids" but I really like the word. And it took me a while to remember that it translated into "braids".

Marinette quickly realized that Lila had a thing for her hair.

Correction: Lila seemed to have an _obsession_ with her hair.

Despite its short length (especially in comparison with Alya or Juleka's), the brunette found every possible opportunity to play with it. Sometimes that meant simply braiding it, other times it meant bringing over every kind of hair product and accessory the Italian had.

"Lila..." Marinette stared at the massive array of colourful bottles and odd instruments. "Is there a special occasion I'm unaware of?"

"Nope," Lila popped the last syllable. "I was just bored."

"How much did all of this _cost_?" Marinette asked, almost afraid to touch anything. "Please don't tell me you're going to do my makeup too."

"Nah, I think your face is fine the way it is."

"But my hair isn't?"

Lila shook her head. "Your hair is fine too, but you need to do something with it that isn't just pigtails."

Marinette frowned, just slightly, but Lila beckoned her into the chair she'd tugged into the washroom.

Reluctantly, she sat down and stared at her reflection.

Marinette didn't think she needed to do anything else with her hair. Perhaps if she let it grow longer she'd do a ponytail instead of pigtails, but she didn't think it warranted whatever horrific contraption was on her bathroom counter.

"Hmm..." Lila stared at her hair in thought, and Marinette gave the brunette's reflection a hesitant smile.

A spark of inspiration hit the girl, and the next thing Marinette knew, the girl was spraying something over her hair.

"It's just water," Lila reassured.

Somehow Marinette didn't feel appeased.

"Is this really necessary...?"

"Have you ever tried doing your hair?" Lila asked through a comb between her teeth.

'Yes,' Marinette wanted to say, but that would be lying.

"Not really." She admitted. Her mother had always kept her own hair short, so Marinette mimicked her. Plus, it was best to do so when helping run a bakery. Hair strands in food were never a good thing, although it took Marinette befriending Alya to realise how much long hair could shed.

"Then at least try this once," Lila persuaded, parting Marinette's slightly damp hair.

Marinette hummed an agreement, afraid to move her head as Lila began doing... _something_ to her hair.

"Who taught you to do your hair?" Marinette asked, watching Lila's own hair swish back and forth as the girl moved around the other girl.

"I taught myself," Lila said, after stumbling over the first few words.

"You're very good at it," Marinette said, wishing she could give the girl a reassuring smile. Lila's eyes remained fixated on the Marinette's hair, though.

It was hard breaking a years long habit.

"Yeah," Lila said, her voice still a bit controlled. "I looked up stuff in books and online. It was hard doing my own hair, especially when it was shorter."

"You had short hair?" Marinette queried, trying to imagine the image. Lila always wore her hair down, unless they were having physical education or it was particularly hot outside, then the girl would tie it up into a ponytail.

"Yep," Lila said, her voice slowly becoming less tight, "Eventually I grew it out and realised that nice it was having it long, so I kept it like that." The girl tossed the comb onto the counter.

"I started doing that low tie thing when it started getting in my way, though. I liked having it long but braiding it always took ages."

Marinette hummed in acknowledgement, watching as Lila braided one part of her hair. It seemed she was going for French braided pigtails.

"I think you'd look cute with short hair," Marinette said, closing her eyes for the lack of anything to focus on.

Lila chuckled. "I think I did too, but I'm too used to having long hair to change it." The girl picked up a small hair tie and quickly tied the small braid.

Marinette ran her fingers over her head, the texture foreign to her.

"Do you wanna see the back?" Lila asked. Marinette nodded, and got out of the chair, taking the large mirror Lila handed her.

"Your braiding is amazing," Marinette gushed, feeling the braids as she stared into the reflection of her reflection. The braids started from the side of her head and trailed down to her shoulders. Her hair was still too short for the normal braid to move freely, but the handiwork was to be appreciated.

"Why thank you, I've had lots of practice. Now lemme do the other half."

Marinette sat back down, watching as Lila deftly combed through the loose half of her hair.

"Thanks for doing this for me," Marinette murmured.

"You're welcome, but it's not that big of a deal, really," Lila stuck the comb in her own hair to free her hands. "This is actually the first time I've done this with a friend."

Marinette glanced away from the mirror, hoping Lila was too focused on her braiding to catch sight of the dark haired girl's face. A bittersweet feeling welled up in Marinette's chest.

"We can do this again, if you want," Marinette offered, closing her eyes. "I don't mind you doing my hair."

"Really?"

Eyes closed, Marinette focused on Lila's surprised tone.

"Yeah," she opened her eyes and smiled at Lila's reflection. "Whenever you like."

Lila's reflection stuttered a bit, as if not sure of what to say. Her hands were frozen with Marinette's hair between her fingers.

"I'd be happy to," Lila said at last, her voice soft. "If you don't mind."

"I don't," Marinette reassured, still smiling at Lila's reflection even though the girl was staring down at the ground.

"Thank you," Lila whispered, and her breath tickled Marinette’s ear.

The braiding resumed, and the two fell into a comfortable silence.

"It's done," Lila chimed a few minutes later, her voice back to its usual peppiness. "Check it out!"

Marinette stared into the hand mirror, admiring the braids. The twin braids trailed to her shoulders, mirror images of each other.

"Wow! I'm surprised you got them so even," Marinette felt the interwoven strands.

"Like I said, lots and lots of practice." Lila beamed at the praise.

"We should do something with yours," Marinette suggested, looking over the array of hair accessories. She doubted she could do any fancy hair styles, but she knew simple basics.

"Nah," Lila waved it off. "Doing my hair takes way too long."

Marinette solved the issue by picking up a barrette and motioning for Lila to sit.

Bemused, the girl acquiesced and allowed her friend to undo her hair tie, instead gathering the top half of her hair and pinning it between the barrette.

Or, trying to, as Marinette had underestimated the thickness of Lila's hair. Eventually the girl stuck with the barest top layer of the brunette's hair, and clipped the barrette onto the back of the girl's head.

Marinette smiled at the cute, oversized bow that covered the barrette.

Lila turned, grabbing the mirror. She grinned at the reflections. It was rather cute.

"You should wear it like that to school tomorrow," Marinette suggested, beaming.

Lila giggled, ignoring their proximity, and ran a hand over Marinette's braids.

"Only if you keep your hair like this, too."

Marinette looked sheepish. "It probably won't last, though."

"Then at least wear your hair down for once," Lila said, brushing Marinette's bangs to the side.

Marinette nodded in compromise.

At least they didn't bother with the curling iron or anything.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short hair and curls (esp ppl of East Asian descent) do not work imo I have tried and it's a mess


	3. C is for Chopsticks

There were many things that Marinette didn't learn from her mother's culture. She didn't learn Mandarin nor Chinese, she didn't learn any of the customs that came with the culture, and she knew next to nothing about the actual country.

However, she at least knew how to use chopsticks.

Sure, she wasn't as skilled at it as her mother was, but she could at least manage to get the food on her plate into her mouth.

Even if it sometimes meant just stabbing the foodstuff.

Lila, on the other hand, never learned to use chopsticks. People took one look at her face, her non-Asiatic features and her wavering intonation and just handed her plastic forks and spoons without her asking.

Which was, frankly, fine with her, because she hardly had the dexterity to write legibly, never mind manoeuvring two sticks of fine wood.

But there was something cute about how Marinette deftly picked up pieces of food and popped them into her mouth, something that couldn't be as easily done with Western cutlery.

And then one day, she visited Marinette's house, and found the girl at her computer, watching a movie while eating Cheetos.

With chopsticks.

If Lila never had an epiphany before, she did then.

Eating Cheetos. With chopsticks. How had that never occurred to her?!

"Salut, Lila!" Marinette said, pausing the movie and turning to her friend. "I was just-"

Lila grabbed Marinette by the shoulders and stared at her, wide-eyed.

"Please teach me how to use chopsticks."

Marinette blinked for a good moment.

"W-what?"

"You're eating Cheetos. With chopsticks."

"Is... Is that bad?"

"No, it's genius and I can't believe I never thought of it before!" Lila gushed. "You'd never get the cheese stuff on your fingers and don't have to reach to get more! I'm like, I'm just-"

Marinette stared at Lila for a minute or two as the girl freaked out over using chopsticks for eating Cheetos.

"All right, I'll teach you," Marinette said, amused by the whole situation. "But first we're gonna have to sneak these Cheetos back downstairs before my mom realises I'm eating junk food in my room."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I legit had the exact same reaction as Lila when I saw that picture of Oscar Isaac eating Cheetos with chopsticks. It never came to mind as a possibility until then.


	4. D for Defence

The blow came from out of nowhere.

One moment Lila- no, _Volpina_ , was beating the crap out of the akuma, the next, she couldn't breathe and slammed into a concrete wall.

Volpina gave a stifled cough, feeling her back ache, and wondered how she was still alive. Surely such a blow and landing would have killed her?

"Watch yourself, fox," Chat Noir said, leaping in between her and the akuma, an angered construction worker.

"A bit-" she coughed, her body not feeling quite right, "too late for that!"

Chat Noir started up Cataclysm, and aimed for the akuma's giant hammer.

Volpina fell to her knees, her back cracking ominously, as if her bones were protesting the impact they'd sustained.

"Relax, let the Miraculous heal you," Ladybug called, swinging onto the scene. "Your body is healing itself."

"It's _what_?" Volpina demanded, wincing as her bones cracked. She gritted her teeth and dug her fingers into the pavement. "What the hell did I _agree_ to?"

"The Miraculous ensures your survival above all," Ladybug explained, and Volpina growled. The superheroine almost sounded smug. "You can't die while transformed."

"And if my transformation wears off before it's done messing with my bones?" Volpina snarled, the pain shaking up some of her words. She gave a hiss of pain, and curled up instinctively on the floor.

"It shouldn't," Ladybug reassured. "You still have time, after all."

Volpina couldn't see her pendant, but she was certain the Miraculous was still filled with orange.

"You're not really suited for defence, it seems."

"You don't say?"

Ladybug gave a smile, one that was trying to be nice.

Maybe it was the pain of her body trying to piece itself back together, but Volpina wanted to strangle the heroine.

"Ladybug!"

The heroine sprung into action before Volpina could even understand what was happening.

"Down!" She yelled, and her yo-yo spun in a tight circle, a blur of luminescent red.

Volpina ducked, and felt a spray of debris fly around her.

At last, the stream of slivers of rocks and cement ended, and Volpina cautiously looked up.

"Maybe I should be your shield now," Ladybug teased, the chunk of concrete shredded by her yo-yo.

Volpina blushed, despite herself.

"Don't get so full of yourself, insecte." The pain in her back had mostly disappeared and she stood slowly, her bones no longer cracking.

She felt fine, as if she'd never been hurt in the first place.

"Come on, now," Ladybug said, her tone a bit more somber. "We have to help Chat Noir."

The red-clad heroine latched the yo-yo onto a pipe and swung into the akuma, kicking them in the face.

Volpina stretched experimentally, watching as the duo fought in sync.

It wasn't like she'd _need_ Ladybug's protection.

It would just be preferable to having to constantly avoid hits.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Volpina's countdown is in her pendant. If you look closely when she's akumatised, there are four lines dividing the pendant into five sections. Each section goes black as it counts down. When the entire pendant is black, Volpina reverts back to Lila.


	5. E for 恶魔 (è mó) [Demon/Akuma]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WAIT WAIT READ THIS BEFORE SOMEONE YELLS AT ME FOR MISUSING CHINESE WORDS
> 
> "è mó" (惡魔) is Chinese for "demon". (yes yes emo i know, moving on)  
> "akuma" (悪魔) is Japanese for "demon".
> 
> Now I used the traditional script for Chinese (bc you can see the similarity between it and the Japanese kanji a lot easier assuming you can even decipher the random bits of lines there), but
> 
> meh, basically this is Lila reflecting her akumatisation. Or it was supposed to be.
> 
> Things got out of hand. You'll see.

The flute was long and thin, made of what felt like wood but she knew was sturdier than any substance known to humankind. It was a bright, hypnotising orange and colourful and, aside from its mystical origins, entirely mundane.

Volpina couldn’t summon illusions with the flute, and she never felt so relieved.

She learned from Chat Noir how to wield the wooden flute like a staff, but she found herself fighting more often without it.

Ever since she gained the Fox Miraculous, once she saved Marinette and went back after Chat Noir dug a new crater in front of the Eiffel Tower, she always preferred to fight physically with her body rather than with some wooden twig.

At the time she was angry and enraged, partially at the akuma, partially at Chat Noir's uselessness, and partially at herself.

But now Lila had the power to protect the person she cared about; she could fight for Marinette.

She scaled up the tower like it was nothing, and in the rush of adrenaline, she didn’t acknowledge the sting of déjà vu. She had climbed the tower before, back when she fought with illusions and with a strength lent to her.

But she had earned her strength now, and she was willing to fight with it.

The first blow landed solidly, her right fist colliding with the akuma's face. The person's neck snapped back with a sickening, but somehow satisfying sound. Lila was too angry to care.

Akumas were resilient, after all.

The akuma tried to fight back, but failed to catch her blows, and soon the tower was creaking eerily with Volpina’s strength as she threw the akuma back and forth like a ragdoll.

Power coursed through her. She didn’t need a fancy wooden stick when she could beat the shit out of akumas with her fists.

She was mad, she was angry, but that fury reached a peak when she heard _her_.

"Lila, that's enough!"

"My name is Volpina!" She snarled, feeling very much like the animal her Miraculous was based on. She threw the akuma into a beam and ignored the shudder that ran through the tower.

Then she froze, because she knew she had said that line before.

Back when she was powerless, easily lead by her emotions, unknowing of rejection and blinded by hubris.

The akuma staggered back to their feet, body swaying dizzyingly.

Lila calmly tore off the corrupted watch and flung it to the ground.

It shattered just like her pendant.

The unnatural butterfly fluttered out of the accessory, and Ladybug sprung into action before Lila could even step away from the akuma.

With a blinding light the crater was filled, the tower no longer creaking with damage, and a confused business man sat on the beams in shock.

"Lila..."

"Vous m'appellerez Volpina dans ces cas, comprenez?"

She didn’t need to be reminded that Ladybug knew who she truly was.

She wasn’t sure if that was a proper situation to drop the subject pronoun, but her head spun and Ladybug probably wouldn’t even get hurt if Lila threw her off the tower in a fit of rage.

Ladybug stared at her in silence, Chat Noir quiet behind her.

"All right, Volpina," she said.

Lila slapped her, and her head snapped to the side.

"Why didn't you come earlier?!" Lila raged, her hands gripping Ladybug's slim shoulders. "Why didn't you save Marinette?"

She shook her hard, and punched her neatly across the face one more time before Chat Noir shoved her away.

Lila flipped backwards and landed on her feet with a grace she hadn’t possessed since the day she had the privilege of meeting Ladybug.

"Are you all right, Ladybug?" Chat Noir asked, voice tight with obvious anger. He turned on Lila. "What the hell is your problem?"

Lila sneered, still full of rage. She wanted Ladybug to _suffer_.

"It's all right, Chat Noir," Ladybug murmured, and Lila felt pleased to see the superheroine on the brink of tears. "She’s right to be angry. I should have arrived earlier."

Then there was a flutter of wings, and a shiver went down Lila’s spine.

Ladybug and Chat Noir fell silent, staring at the purple butterfly hovering ominously between the trio.

Lila met its gaze.

"Go to hell," she scowled.

Her flute materialized into her hands for the very first time since she gained the real Fox Miraculous, and the words left her mouth easily.

"Fabrimage!"

She swung her flute with an eerie ease.

The akuma went up in flames.

She didn’t need to be a polyglot to understand the meaning of the word.

Fabrication and image.

But the flames were real, and she knew it in her heart.

That, and the smell of smoke was filling the air.

Also, the civilian on the ground began to look like he'd rather not be there.

"Volpina..."

The heroine didn’t give her… colleague any time to continue speaking. Lila leapt off the tower and landed with a roll to avoid creating a new crater in the ground.

Her pendant gave a low noise that sounded like static.

Lila took the pendant into her hand. It was real, not a fake she made, not one brought to life by the powers of a corrupted butterfly.

Huleea chose her. The Fox kwami chose her. This was real, not an illusion nor the result of any akumatisation.

Her flute vanished, and the pendant, now indented with five neat lines, went dark in one of the sections.

Lila didn’t know what it meant, but her thoughts returned to Marinette, hiding in Lila’s apartment on Volpina’s orders.

Her pendant continued giving buzzing noises and darkening section by section as she made her way home.

In the stairwell, her pendant gave one last, almost urgent _bzzt_ of static, and went completely black.

The transformation wore off with a flash and Huleea yawned.

"Good job," her new kwami said, and dozed off inside of Lila's blazer.

Lila found Marinette pacing anxiously in her room.

"Thank god," she murmured, and hugged Marinette. "I was so worried when Volpina told me you had gotten kidnapped by an akuma."

Marinette laughed, but it was shaky and watery.

Suddenly the girl began to cry.

She hugged Marinette tightly, comfortingly, and frowned over Marinette’s shoulder as she murmured reassurances into the distraught girl’s ear.

Lila didn’t want to be a superheroine. It was tedious and she couldn't stand her fellow superheroes.

But they were clearly incompetent. Neither Ladybug nor Chat Noir _understood_.

Lila could have lost Marinette that day. She could have lost her one and only friend because Chat Noir couldn't take down the akuma alone and Ladybug had taken her sweet time getting there.

Lila glanced down at her friend crying into her arms.

For Marinette, Volpina decided, she would take on the mantle of hero.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Huleea was made up of the Mandarin Chinese for "fox" (狐狸 - hú lí). Also Maggie (chibiwriter) mentioned that there's a trend in kwami names of having two of the same letters so...
> 
> I'm gonna be very honest it took me actual years to figure out what Lila's special power was gonna be called because I already knew what it would be (very limited creation, it's a long story but basically when illusions stop being illusions and start being real and tangible).
> 
> But in my head it was always called "illusionaire" or something weird like that and I was like
> 
> Welp better start going through the thesaurus.
> 
> (also this scene is going to appear in Vie Éphémère I had this planned before these drabbles but things happened. I'll be rewriting it in the other story though because this is not the style I'd write it in)


	6. F for Frigid

Never sticking in one place for long meant that Lila never had a solid idea on what was considered cold. 

When she wound up back in Paris, the mild (in comparison) temperatures were almost a godsend. No need to mess with snow or constant rain. It was humid at times and a bit chilly at others, but there was a nice balance. 

"Lila!"

Today was a bit on the frigid side. People were wrapped up in heavier coats and hide their cheeks in scarves. 

Which is why Lila was frowning as Marinette jogged up to her.

The girl's face was pink from the cold. At least she had earmuffs on (her own design, some sort of pink cat thing), but now that the girl was closer, Lila could see the girl was freezing under all the layers. 

Without another word, Lila shrugged off her coat and draped it over Marinette's body. 

"Wait, you'll be cold!" Marinette protested, moving to return the coat. 

"Nah," Lila grinned, securing it over Marinette's shoulders. "I've been through much colder. You're shaking like a leaf, though."

And so off came her scarf. 

"I've never been good with the cold," Marinette murmured. Lila couldn't tell if she was blushing or not as she wrapped the woollen scarf around the girl's neck. 

"Well, let's get some hot chocolate to deal with that, hm?"

Marinette smiled, her mouth hidden behind the still-warm scarf. 

"Why not?"


	7. G for Giacere (to rest/lie down)

_Thud._

Marinette's head jerked up from her sketchbook, hand frozen in the middle of drawing an outline. Blue eyes turned to the dark haired girl's couch.

Lila had fallen asleep. Her phone, once grasped in her hand, had fallen out of her palm and was face-down on the wooden floor. The brunette snored softly, resting on her outstretched arm, her mouth hanging slightly open.

The artist stifled a giggle and smiled at the endearing scene. Silently, she crept out of her seat and picked up the fallen phone, setting it next to her open sketchbook. The girl ran a hand through Lila's hair, brushing the brunette's sidelocks out of her face. Lila mumbled something, but didn't stir. Marinette's hand rested on the dark-skinned girl's face.

Lila was always calmer, more relaxed and open when she was asleep, too lost in dreams to guard her emotions and regulate her appearance.

Even with Marinette, the girl was having a tough time of breaking a habit she'd had for years at that point.

But Lila tried, and Marinette appreciated every effort.

She pulled her hand away, only for it to be pulled back and pressed against Lila's face.

Green eyes blinked open, and Lila held onto her hand insistently. Marinette smiled sheepishly.

"Sleep well?"

"I'd sleep better with you with me," the brunette winked lazily. Marinette flushed, trying to pull her hand away in embarrassment.

"I have work to-"

With a swift tug, Marinette was sprawled on top of her girlfriend.

"Lila!" Marinette squeaked more than said, as the brunette wrapped her arms around the girl, pressing the other girl's face into her neck.

"Go to sleep," Lila murmured, shifting slightly so that Marinette's entire weight wasn't on her. "Work isn't gonna run away."

Marinette pouted.

"Neither are you." She moved so that only her head was resting on top of Lila. Marinette could hear Lila's heart thumping through her chest.

"I'm more important," Lila said confidently, an arm wrapping around her girlfriend. "Now go to sleep."

"It's not even ten yet!"

"Shh..."

Lila pressed a kiss against the other girl's forehead. "Go to sleep, Mari."

Marinette sighed. Lila was warm, and her cuddling was comfortable. It really was preferable to sitting at her desk wracking her head for design ideas.

"Fine," Marinette's eyes drifted close, the girl relaxing into her girlfriend. "You win."

She couldn't see, but Marinette was certain Lila was grinning into her hair.

"I always do."

"Good night, Lila."

"'Night, Marinette."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> not included: mari's mom popping in and taking pictures because they're adorbs
> 
> (will be updating vie éphémère soon!)


	8. H for Hatred

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wrote a bunch of these at like three in the morning. It wasn't so bad for delirious writing.

When Ladybug lands in the park and casually saunters up to Lila and Adrien and undoes all of Lila's intricate work in a simple few words, Lila feels hatred.

How dare Ladybug ruin her story so casually? Lila wasn't the only person running around spouting lies that she knew the heroine. What did Ladybug have against _her_ that she didn't call out anyone else lying about her?

When Lila finds herself on the top of the Eiffel Tower, her mind a hazy blank and Ladybug offering an apology for earlier, Lila feels hatred.

She had been akumatised. Of course. She read enough on the subject to piece things together. Ladybug had gotten her so upset Lila had been turned into Volpina for real.

And the heroine had the audacity to try and apologize, as if that one word would fix Lila's forever tarnished reputation.

It was bad enough that Ladybug had called her out in front of Adrien, now people knew she had been akumatised too.

Lila feels hatred towards Ladybug, towards Paris. So blindly faithful in such an arrogant heroine.

If she wasn't too busy having meltdown after meltdown about the future of her lies, she would curse the heroine.

So what if the girl had been right? Lila didn't need some pompous girl in spandex to tell her that lying was bad. She wasn't stupid.

But no one else ever looked closely enough to notice, so what did it really matter?

When Lila meets Marinette, literally slamming the door into the girl's face, she feels regret and panic. She hadn't meant to hurt her.

But the girl laughs it off, says it's all right and acts so bright and cheerful despite the blood running down her face.

Lila feels kinship.

When Chloé insults Marinette, compliments the bruise on her face, Lila's hatred flares up again.

But it's justified, and righteous, and snarking at the blonde is the best feeling Lila has felt that morning aside from the flutter in her stomach when Marinette complimented her hair.

When Lila becomes Volpina, saves Marinette when Ladybug couldn't, she feels both immense pride in herself and hatred towards Ladybug yet again.

The heroine had failed for the last time.

Ladybug's neck gives an ominous cracking sound when Volpina slaps her. Volpina wants to hear that sound again, louder, sicker. Ladybug was a failure.

The hatred burns so strongly a butterfly appears.

Just for a moment, the hatred shifts course.

Volpina sets the akuma aflame, her new powers satisfyingly leaving her fingertips.

The Papillon could go to hell. Her hatred was her own and not the plaything of anyone else.

When time passes, and the hatred towards Ladybug fades just enough for them to pick together some kind of teamwork, Lila is falling hard for Marinette.

Almost literally.

Her arm would have popped right out of its socket when Ladybug grabs hold of the girl as she tumbles off the tower.

"Hold on!" Ladybug yells, as if Volpina had any idea not to.

Miraculous or not, falling from a height was scary.

But Ladybug's earrings have been beeping for the past few minutes, and Volpina knows what's going to happen by the time Ladybug pulls her up.

Her feet land solidly on the beam, in time for a flash of light as Ladybug's transformation wears off.

When Volpina finds herself looking into Marinette's eyes, the eyes she never realized were Ladybug's as well, she doesn't feel hatred.

She feels hurt.


	9. I for Irréel

The Papillon names the akuma the Tourmenteur, and Marinette thinks that that's a play on words so intricate Chat Noir would approve.

But right now Chat Noir believes Ladybug is dead, thrown off the Tower.

Nightmares are irrational. You don't realise how unrealistic and illogical your reactions are until after you wake up.

Ladybug swings over to the top of the tower and kicks the Tourmenteur in the face, sending the black-clad akuma flying and snapping Chat Noir out of the illusion.

"Ladybug! You're alive!"

Ladybug gives Chat Noir a tentative pat on the shoulder.

"Her power is hallucinations," Ladybug explains. "Everyone on the ground thinks they're seeing things."

"And maybe you are."

The voice sends chills down Ladybug's spine, because she knows that voice.

She turns, unsure of why, and sees Lila standing on the edge of the tower.

"Why?"

The girl's voice is filled with so much pain, so much betrayal, it stabs Ladybug through the heart.

"Why didn't you tell me who you were?"

Ladybug closes her eyes, knows it's not real, and yet doesn't want to wake up from the dream.

Maybe she deserves it.

"Why did you lie to me?"

"I'm sorry," she whispers, and the tear seeps into her mask. "I'm so sorry."

"I trusted you," Lila weeps. "For the first time ever, I trusted someone. And you didn't even like me."

"I do!" Ladybug yells, and the words come out raw, desperate. "I always have!"

"Liar!"

The heroine freezes, eyes fixated on the trick in front of her.

"You just wanted to make yourself feel better!" Not-Lila says, shaking with an anger Marinette has rarely seen in person.

"It wasn't just that!" Ladybug shouts back, and she's crying so hard she can't see clearly. She can't deny it, it was part of the reason at first. "I- I knew how you felt!"

"No, you don't!" Lila shrieks, and Ladybug finds herself pinned to the ground, Lila's hands wrapped around her throat. "You know nothing about me! You've never even cared about me! It was all about you!"

Ladybug stares into Lila's eyes, blinks away her tears so she can see how accurately the Tourmenteuse replicated the false image in front of her.

Lila's eyes gleam a beautiful dark green, possibly even more jewel-like with the tears shimmering in her eyes.

"I trusted you," Lila snarls, face beautiful even in anger. Ladybug can't tell if her shortage of breath is from Lila squeezing her neck or the raw emotion on the girl's face. "I thought you liked me for who I was as a person! I thought someone at last saw me as myself! But you really didn't _care_."

Ladybug chokes out something, can't even understand her own thoughts.

Lila's flickering in and out of her sight. Had it always been so dark outside?

Then a familiar clawed hand is on her shoulders, shaking her hard.

Dark green eyes brighten, and Ladybug blinks.

"Chat?" She whispers, her voice fine.

"It was another trick," Chat Noir says, and his face is somber.

They're no longer on the tower.

"What was I saying?" Ladybug asks, grasps onto Chat Noir's arm as he helps her sit up on the pavement.

"What?" Chat Noir asks, incredulity in his voice. "It was just a nightmare-"

"No, what did I say to- to the illusion?" Ladybug presses, gripping Chat Noir's arm.

Chat Noir looks around, stalls. He sighs.

"You said," Chat Noir sighs again, as if the words are hard to repeat. Ladybug shakes him.

"What. Did. I. Say."

"'I didn't just like you. I love you.'"

And through all the illusions and lies, the truth hits Ladybug harder than anything else.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Tour" is the French word for "trick". (Or one of them)
> 
> and despite tourmenter being a word in French, tourmenteur isnt recognized my spell check. 
> 
> It's playing on "torment" ^^
> 
> The "menteur" as in "liar" was unintentional but it worked I think.


	10. J for Jeu (Game)

Every time Lila changed schools, she considered it like pressing the 'New Game' button on a video game menu.

Suddenly, she was the new girl in the class again. No one knew who she was. No one knew what she had done. No one knew anything about Lila De Angelis.

They had to take her word for everything. They didn't know she hadn't truly known Jagged Stone, or Hollywood's directors. But it wasn't as though they could really find out.

Lila prided herself on her improvisational skills and the intricacy of her lies.

It wasn't her problem that people were so shallow to clamour for her attention because of her supposed connections and experiences. It was all people cared about and so it was entirely fine for her to manipulate their expectations.

Every few months, it was 'New Game' for her. The previous save file was erased. No one in this new world would know anything about her.

Retry. Restart. Failures didn't matter. Successes weren't carried over (it wasn't New Game Plus), but they made her feels happy.

She was loved, she was adored. Even if it was just for a little bit, before things reset and she started from scratch.

Maybe it was a bit more like having multiple lives.

Then she got to the Paris level. New Game started.

Things crashed hard. Glitches occurred. She hadn't expected the NPCs to get smart, to call out her lies.

Suddenly she was close to losing. So close, and with nothing to save her. No extra tries left.

Game Over.

Except, it didn't happen.

Player 2 had joined the Game.

Marinette cared for her so much Lila had a difficult time believing it. She knew Lila had a habit of lying and wanted to her help her get over it. She was understanding when Lila fell into old habits and tried her best to help her improve.

Suddenly, Lila was dreading the reset.

She didn't want to lose Marinette, unsure if she would carry over like one specific byte of data. She didn't do New Game Plus, but could she salvage the one thing she loved of her initial save file?

So Lila fought. Fought so hard against the final boss.

Let me stay here, she thought. Let me stay with Marinette.

The final boss was a stone wall of immobility. It wouldn't be persuaded.

Please! Lila pleaded. You've already taken so much from me!

The wall cracked just a bit.

Let me have this one thing, Lila whispered. Let me keep my experiences here. Let me stay here. I've finally found the reason to be honest.

The barrier shattered.

Level clear.


	11. K for Kleptomania

"Marinette no..." Alya drew out the second word as she saw Marinette with a phone the redhead knew wasn't hers.

"It was an accident!" The girl squeaked, eyeing the device like it was a suspicious object. "We were just talking and Lila asked me to hold it and then we had to run for class and-!"

Alya buried her face in her palm.

"You have a serious streak going on about this, Marinette."

"I don't _like_  stealing phones!"


	12. L for Languages

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Slightly NSFW.

Marinette watches silently as Lila chatters in rapid Dutch to the former classmate next to them.

It was always strange when Lila met up with an old classmate. Marinette usually just sat to the side and smiled awkwardly while her girlfriend easily carried conversation in a foreign language.

At least it was a European language this time?

Was that even a pro or a con?

Lila and the boy burst into laughter and Marinette just smiles and waves.

Well, not the last part.

Linguistics was not Marinette's forte. She hadn't learned her mother's native tongue, and struggled in her foreign language classes. She had a hard enough time remembering French, never mind other languages.

Eventually the boy departs, and Marinette musters a wave as Lila titters on casually. The boy vanishes into the crowd and Lila turns to Marinette, foreign syllables tumbling out of her mouth.

It takes a few seconds of Marinette blinking confusedly before Lila realizes what the problem is.

Marinette expects Lila to revert to French and keep talking, but instead the girl leans into her, one hand on Marinette's thigh and the other caressing Marinette's face.

Lila asks something, and Marinette tries to ignore how warm her face feels.

The syllables are different, she's switched languages.

Marinette blinks owlishly as Lila's tone drops.

She doesn't need a dictionary to know Lila's trying to be seductive.

Trying to be. Because Marinette is more worried about the people around them than Lila's simpering tone.

Lila's hand turns Marinette's face back, and Lila presses their lips together gently, sweetly.

Marinette can feel that her face is aflame, but presses a hand against Lila's back and pulls her in.

Lila's lips are soft, and when they separate, Marinette knows she has some sparkles on her lips from the brunette's lip gloss.

Lila giggles. A familiar sound. Marinette cracks a smile.

"What were you even saying?" She asks, expecting something inappropriate. Lila really had no shame at times.

Lila winks and mercifully replies in French.

"I was only saying that you look very nice."

Marinette doesn't reply instantly and keeps her eyes level with Lila's. There is no way that was it.

Lila shrugs.

"And that you'd look even better on my bed."

Marinette tosses a fry at the girl and buries her face into her hands.

Lila's giggle rings loud in her ears, and it's probably the only sound Marinette understands no matter what language her girlfriend speaks. 


	13. M for Mask

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> honestly my writing is suffering and so am i

"Tikki, transforme-moi!"

Lila shut her eyes at the bright red glow that engulfed Marinette's form. The pink kwami zipped into one of her earrings and Lila felt her breath catch in her throat.

For so long she had seen Marinette and Ladybug as separate people, but now she noticed the little traits each of them shared. Ladybug's kindness stemmed from Marinette, and Marinette's courage drawn from Ladybug. They had the same smile, the same eyes, and both of them tried to do their best for Paris.

Lila swore she wouldn't let her smile fall as the transformation finished, Marinette obviously taking her time in a mundane situation.

Marinette had good intentions when they became friends. She hadn't meant to lie to Lila.

And she of all people knew how easy it was to lie.

Ladybug waved at Lila and grinned. The first time they saw each other in a safe situation.

Lila's smile remained fixed on her face. She saw Marinette's eyes behind Ladybug's mask.

"Hello, Lila, it's nice to meet you." Ladybug offered her hand. "I'm Ladybug."

Lila stared at the red clad hand, smile turning a bit plastic. Her eyes followed up to Ladybug's face.

The heroine remained smiling, and Lila could see the hope in her girlfriend's eyes.

Marinette was her girlfriend. Marinette was Ladybug. So Ladybug was her girlfriend too.

She had been jealous, Lila reminded, resisting the urge to close her eyes and look away. Marinette had been jealous Lila was pursuing Adrien. She had overreacted.

They had both learned from Lila's time in Paris.

Lila grasped Marinette's hand and shook it gently.

"The pleasure's all mine, Ladybug."

Lila saw Marinette's smile on Ladybug's face, heard Marinette's laugh coming from Ladybug's mouth.

When she kissed her, she was kissing Marinette too.

It would take a while for Lila to get used to seeing them as not just Ladybug the heroine and Marinette the student, but as the one girl she opened herself up to and fell in love with.

They broke apart, and Lila stared silently into Marinette's eyes. She breathed out a slow sigh, and pressed their foreheads together.

"I love you," she murmured. "Even with the mask."

Ladybug smiled, though she couldn't see, she felt a puff of air from a suppressed laugh, and the girl took her hands in hers.

"Thank you." She whispered, and the gratitude in her voice was all Lila needed.


	14. N for Natation (Swimming)

Lila was not staring.

Okay, she definitely was, but to be fair, so was everyone else.

"Damn, Marinette," Alya nudged the girl playfully. "Adrien has no idea what he's missing."

The girl flushed in response, folding her toned arms in front of her chest and turning to the ground.

"Stop it, Alya," she pouted. "Baking takes effort."

"You sure it's just the baking?" Alya raised an eyebrow. "You look like you go to the gym on a regular basis."

"The only gyms I go to are in Pokémon," Marinette mumbled, suddenly very interested in the tiled floor.

"Whatever," Alya sang, grinning widely.

Marinette had barely looked up before her friend shoved her into the water. Alya giggled as Marinette surfaced, the girl looking absolutely outraged.

"Alya Césaire!" She cried, spitting out water. "You-"

Alya laughed and snapped a picture.

"Looking good, Marinette~"

Lila hid behind the wall that lead to the change rooms.

Oh god Marinette was going to kill her.

How the girl was so fit she had no idea, though Marinette's bakery excuse did make some kind of sense.

Maybe pulling dough? The brunette didn't imagine it was so easy.

But it wouldn't explain how Marinette had abs and arms that could kill and-

God Lila would willingly let Marinette murder her with those legs.

Lila peeked over the corner again, to see Marinette climbing out of the water towards Alya.

Fuck, she was hot.

"It's a good thing your phone is waterproof, Alya!" Marinette said through her teeth.

Alya giggled, but snapped another picture anyway. Marinette lunged for the phone and wrestled Alya to the ground.

Lila was definitely not staring at the girl's muscles.

"All right! All right!" Alya submitted, relinquishing her phone. "You're _strong_!"

"Haha- oops?"

They were getting a few odd looks from the people around them. Alya was flat on the ground, with Marinette sitting on her legs and a smug look on her face. The girl idly tossed Alya's phone up and caught it in her hand.

"Come on."

The girl crawled off her friend and pulled the blogger to her feet. Then, she looked through the phone.

"Alya~" Marinette whined. "How many pictures did you take?"

"I'm sure a certain model would appreciate them~"

"Alya, no!"

Yeah, Alya, no.

Lila would fight Adrien herself for those pictures.

"Alya, Marinette, you guys look great."

Too late.

Marinette nearly dropped the phone in her hand and waved mutely at the blond. True to his modelling side job, he managed to make his plain swim shorts stunning.

Lila could appreciate Adrien's aesthetic attractiveness and otherwise, but he was not getting near Marinette.

"Where's Nino?" Alya asked, looking around for her boyfriend.

"He left the change room before I did, I thought he was already here," Adrien frowned.

Alya smiled a bit too widely and Lila ignored the urge to storm up there and inform them that there was no point in setting up Marinette and Adrien.

"Well then, I'll go look for him." Alya said, ignoring Marinette's panicked look. "See ya."

Lila forced herself to breathe as Adrien began small talk.

"This place is really nice, isn't it?"

"Uh, yeah," Marinette managed to say, eyes fixed on Adrien's.

Breathe, Lila, breathe.

Murder is illegal and diplomatic freedom doesn't excuse that.

"I think next time Alya should suggest a beach instead of a pool." Adrien said. "It's a lot more... Natural?"

"Yeah, well," Marinette said slowly, each word coming out abrupt and choppy. "There's no sand here, though."

"You're right, sand's a pain to get out of your clothes," the model said, flashing a grin.

Marinette's face turned red, and Lila saw red.

"Marinette!"

The girl gave an ooph as Lila hugged her from behind, arms wrapping around to link over her stomach.

Marinette's incredibly firm stomach.

"You look hella cute, Mari," she said, voice bright and peppy. "You look nice too, Adrien."

"Thanks, Lila," Adrien managed, looking rather surprised at her sudden entrance. "You too."

Lila beamed over Marinette's should, but she knew it wasn't convincing at all.

She didn't need it to be.

"Come on, Mari~" She released the girl to tug on her arm, forcing herself to concentrate on the girl's face and not the toned muscle beneath her fingers. "Let go into the water."

"S-sure!" Marinette squeaked. "Um, are you coming with us, Adrien?"

Lila's glare contrasted sharply with Marinette's hesitant smile.

Adrien took the hint.

"No, I'm fine," he said, grinning to hide his discomfort at Lila boring a hole through his skull. "I should go and see if Alya's found Nino yet."

"Great!" Marinette said, waving with her free hand. "See you then!"

With that, the blond vanished into the crowd.

Lila sighed in relief before Marinette tugged out of her grasp and an arm slung around her shoulders.

"You know," Marinette began, "That was kinda mean of you, Lila."

Lila huffed and crossed her arms defensively, though relishing Marinette's hug.

"You're _my_  girlfriend, not his."

Marinette giggled, and Lila felt herself grow warm.

"One day you'll get to the fact that no matter what happens I'm not leaving you."

Lila felt lips press against her cheek.

"Even for the model you've idolized for years?"

"Even for the model I've idolized for years."

Lila pulled out of the girl's embrace. It was easier than she thought, given the girl's strength. She turned to her girlfriend and leaned in to kiss her.

Lila pushed her back into the pool instead.

Her girlfriend flailed wildly before hitting the water.

"Lila!" Marinette yelled after resurfacing, brushing her bangs out of her face. "You're mean!"

"You know I love you," Lila teased, understanding why Alya had taken pictures of Marinette.

Marinette shook her head and sighed, wading over to the edge of the pool.

"Yeah," she admitted.

The girl crept onto the tile and yanked Lila's hand, sending both of them tumbling into the water.

Marinette loved her, of course, but all was fair in love and war.

Or love and pushing people into pools.


	15. O for Obligation

Lila hated fighting akumas.

Seeing normal people turned into such heartless monsters, wrecking havoc upon the city and not caring in the slightest for who got injured in the crossfire, it was horrible.

Worse were the ones who converted civilians into mindless minions and lead them around like an army.

She couldn't find Marinette again, so that meant Volpina had to get involved.

"Hulee, transforme-moi!"

She found Ladybug and Chat Noir taking down the army of zombies. Seemed like the Papillon was taking cues from horror films.

"Volpina, go after the akuma!" Ladybug ordered.

She skipped demanding why her specifically and rather in the direction Ladybug pointed to.

If anything, it was both a compliment and an insult.

She was the strongest out of all of them physically. She hit hard even if she couldn't take a peck from a pigeon.

She didn't want to kill anyone before Ladybug could heal them.

Volpina scaled up the buildings and scanned the area.

Ladybug and Chat Noir had been surprised when she resorted to simply crawling on the bricks. She had stared at them exasperated before asking how else she was meant to get around if her flute didn't have infinite reach.

(Not that she used the stupid chunk of wood unless she had to summon her special ability. She liked beating things up.)

Apparently when she had been akumatised, she flew around instead of climbing. Though, given that it was all an illusion, she doubted it was a legitimate skill she had had even as an akuma victim.

She spotted the poor Frankenstein replica in the distance, taking on a bigger and bigger form as the akuma converted more people.

Had she mentioned how much she hated dealing with them?

But she had lost Marinette in the crowd, so chances were her friend was one of the zombies, so she had to act and help save her.

If anyone managed to hurt her in the process, she wouldn't hesitate to rip their limbs off.

Volpina leapt through the air, wind breezing past her as she landed silently on the building. She hopped from roof to roof until she neared the Frankenstein.

"Hey, puzzle head!" She yelled at the patchwork body. "Come fight someone your own size!"

She was only barely taller than Marinettte, but force wise she was certain she was stronger than the akuma.

And she was right.

A few minutes later, almost too quickly, the Frankenstein was moaning on the ground, and Ladybug appeared just in time to shatter the pocket watch and purify the akuma.

Volpina waved nonchalantly as the scientist rubbed his head in confusion.

"Gotta bounce," she said, "No need to thank me."

Ladybug just shook her head and Chat Noir gave a mute wink.

She ran up the building and began heading back for the park where she and Marinette had been chatting before the akuma attack. She detransformed and looked around for any sign of her friend.

"Oh thank god, you're all right!"

Marinette threw her arms around the brunette, surprising Lila.

"You wouldn't believe, there was this huge zombie thing and-" Marinette rambled into Lila's ear as they hugged each other tightly.

"Oh my god I know, it-" Lila continued, her words coming out far too smoothly.

She had an obligation to Marinette. She had to keep her safe, keep her away from the akumas, and most of all, keep her from seeing her as anyone but Lila. 


	16. P for Possessiveness

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I /could/ have made this funny. I could have made it Lila dragging Mari away from Adrien constantly. I COULD HAVE MADE IT HAPPY BUT NOOOOO HAVE THIS ANGST

Lila's arms wrap around her waist, cheek pressing against her back.

"I'm kind of busy right now," Marinette murmurs into the phone. "I'll see you later."

She hangs up the phone and tosses the device onto her desk, turning and wresting out of her girlfriend's hold.

"Is something wrong?" Lila asks, eyes too innocent and smile too perfect.

Marinette closes her eyes, shakes her head and presses her hands over her chest.

How can she even begin?

"Lila," the name comes out flat. Lila's mask falls.

"Marinette?" Her voice cracks, and Marinette opens her eyes to see a worried frown and down cast eyes.

"I'm not mad at you," Marinette blurts out, knowing Lila's pessimism was already churning out inferences. "It's just..."

Lila turns away, brushes at her face with her hands. Marinette's heart drops.

"What is it?" Lila asks, her voice low and void of any emotion.

"Lila," Marinette sighs, punches the bridge of her nose with her fingers. She can't find out how to fix this.

But acknowledging the problem was the first step, wasn't it?

"I need to be around other people."

"You don't like me anymore."

Marinette lunges forwards and jerks Lila around to face her.

"No," she says, her voice firm. Forest green eyes are wide and brimming with tears. "No, Lila, I still like you, a lot. But..." She sighs again. It's so hard.

"But I need my friends. I need Alya and Adrien and Nino too."

"I'm your girlfriend," Lila chokes out, her eyes pools of moss. "Aren't I-"

"I love you, Lila," Marinette says, hands on her shoulders. "I love my friends too, in a different but equal way."

"So I'm not important to you?"

"Lila!" Marinette cries, and the situation is spiralling out of her control.

"You're the only- the _only_ person _I_ care about," Lila doesn't so much say as she does sob. Her bangs cover her face as she pulls out of Marinette's grasp and tilts her head down.

"I've never been honest with someone, I've never trusted someone as much. I'm going to leave eventually and I don't want you to _forget_ me!"

Lila heaves, her breaths shake, and Marinette feels like she's being stabbed in the heart.

"I know you have other friends, I know you _need_ them, I know what I'm doing isn't right nor healthy but I-" Lila sniffles, hiccoughs, and shakes.

"I don't have that much time with you. I can't stay with you like they can. And when I leave, how can I know you won't just forget about me and go back to them? To Adrien?"

Marinette's teeth click against each other as she snaps her mouth closed.

"I don't want to be forgotten again, there's no point in me trying to be honest if no one even _cares_ -"

"I care!" Marinette cuts her off louder than intended. "I care about you Lila, I really do! I won't forget you, I love you, but you can't be so possessive about me-"

"Why not?" Lila yells right back, and Marinette would worry about her parents if she wasn't fixated on Lila's tear streaked face and heart wrenching cries. "They can be with you forever but I can't! I want to stay with you while I still can! I like being with you and if I'm not then what else am I supposed to do? They're your friends, not mine!"

"They like you well enough," Marinette manages, but Lila continues, and every word is an arrow that's piercing her soul.

"I knew this wouldn't last," Lila hiccoughs again. She's shaking so hard Marinette worries she'll collapse at a moment's notice. "I know I'm going to leave and you'll find someone better and-"

"Stop it," Marinette pleads and there's a lump in her throat and she knows she's going to cry and Tikki is hiding somewhere probably watching and her parents are probably wondering what's happening and-

"Please stop this."

Marinette feels the tears trickling down her face but she doesn't move. She had never had a friend like Alya or Lila before. She had never imagined such a friend leaving.

She knew Lila would, she had never intended to get into a relationship with her, but wasn't dating just a different sort of friendship?

She had thought she and Lila could keep in touch after the latter left, thought things would be all right.

She was wrong.

"I'm sorry," she says, and the déjà vu hits her in the gut.

Lila breathes audibly, still sniffling but her sobs subsiding. She stares at Marinette with a waiting look on her face.

"I'm so sorry."

Marinette wipes away the tears, trying to see Lila clearly.

The brunette shakes her head. Her face falls into a stoic mask Marinette had never wanted to see again.

"Forget it, Marinette." Her tone is casual in a forced way, and Marinette knows the brunette is trying to wipe Marinette's existence out of her mind already.

Lila turns to the trapdoor and opens it. Marinette can't bring herself to stop her. "I was stupid to think I could ever make friends."

The door closes, and Marinette stands frozen.

She stares at the empty room. Just stands there, her mind buzzing.

 _Move, do something!_ her mind yells. _Don't let her go!_

But she can't. Can't move. Won't move?

Maybe Lila was just meant to be like that. Maybe Marinette _couldn't_ help her.

She feels like she's dying.

It's so much worse than when Lila rejected her apology on top of the Eiffel Tower.

She's not Ladybug, this time. There are no second chances.

Eventually her mother comes up. Tentatively asks Marinette is everything is all right because Lila just ran out crying.

Marinette shakes her head. Insists she's fine and wants to be left alone. Her mother acquiesces.

Marinette stares at her bedroom walls. Pictures of her and Alya and Adrien and Nino are scattered across the pink. There are a few pictures of her and Lila.

The rest are in her phone, on her lock screen, in her memory.

Marinette heads up to her bed, cracks open the door to the balcony. She doesn't go up yet.

"Tikki."

The pink kwami flutters out from behind Marinette's mirror and to the bunk bed.

"Marinette," the kwami begins, eyes wide and sad.

Marinette doesn't feel like talking anymore.

"Transforme-moi."

The magic rushes over her, but it's not enough to comfort her.

Ladybug climbs onto the balcony and swings off into the night of Paris.

She doubts she'll be seeing Volpina any time soon either. 


	17. Q for Quotidienne [Daily]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh wow, the coincidence here. 
> 
> 17th chapter posted on June 17th. 
> 
> Which also happens to be my 17th birthday. 
> 
> I'm amazed.

Marinette wakes up to a hand over her face, a leg wrapped around hers, and the usage of one arm.

"Lila," she whispers. The girl next to her doesn't stir.

She tries to manoeuvre her numb arm from underneath the dozing brunette, but Lila's hand is resting on her face and the girl has wrapped herself around the other.

Oh boy.

"Lila." She says, a bit more loudly this time.

The girl still doesn't stir.

Marinette sighs, ignores the gross smell of her morning breath, and uses her free hand to move Lila's off her face. The brunette pulls Marinette closer instead.

"Lila."

No response.

"I know you're awake."

The brunette snores softly as if in rebuttal.

Marinette glances at the space between them and the edge of the bed.

Lila screams.

"What the fuck, Marinette?" The brunette scrambles to her feet, hair messy from sleep and being pushed to the ground.

"You were lying on my arm," Marinette says easily. "I can't even feel it anymore."

"No..." Lila moans, tugging off the rest of the sheets and curling into them on the ground. "I need sleeeeeeeep."

"You've ha-had enough sleep," Marinette yawns mid sentence. "We gotta make breakfast."

"Can't we get takeout?"

"It's breakfast."

"Can we go out, get some breakfast, and come back?"

"Lilaaa..."

"Being an adult is haaard."

"No it's not," Marinette sighs, and drags herself off the bed. She can sort of feel her arm now, but it's tingly pretty wildly. "You're just lazy."

" _We're_ lazy." Lila corrected. "You need to take out the trash on time."

"Ugh," Marinette throws a pillow at the girl.

Lila gives a shrill shriek, and Marinette knows it's war.

Five minutes later, there are so many feathers Marinette couldn't even see the ground.

It was a good thing the floor is wooden.

"I win~" Lila sings, sitting on the girl's back.

"Brute force isn't everything," Marinette's breath blows some feathers further from her.

"Hmm, you're just saying that 'cause you lost~"

"Fine. I'll make breakfast."

"Yay!" Lila crawls off the girl.

And picks her up.

"What are you- oof!"

Lila shakes off the feathery blanket and tosses it over the dark haired girl.

"After we get some sleep."

"Lila!"


	18. R for Ribbons

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did not mean to fall into the Bury Your Gays trope but it just happened. I remembered Puella Magi so this occurred. 
> 
> Warning: Major character death.

"Mari! Mari wait!"

Lila jolted forwards as she felt something, or rather, someone ram into her lower body and bounce off.

She steadied herself and turned to see a young Asian girl, probably only seven or eight, stare up at her. Her heart leapt into her throat.

"I'm so sorry! Are you all right?" She asked, feeling a strong sense of déjà vu.

To her surprise, the girl didn't burst out in tears like someone who just skidded on the pavement should have.

"Oh, Mari," an exasperated looking woman came up to the two. "What did I say about running off alone?"

Mari had the grace to look sheepish.

"Not to do it..." The girl pouted as her guardian helped her up to her feet and brushed off her blue skirt.

"Exactly. And what do you say to strangers you run into?"

"Stay away from me."

Lila stifled a chuckle as Mari's guardian sighed, then rephrased her question.

"What do you say to strangers you hurt?"

"Sorry..."

Lila kneeled down to the girl's level, a gentle smile on her face.

"Apology accepted, Mari." She said, "Just be carefully where you're going next time. Are you hurt?"

Mari shook her head exaggeratedly.

"Nope!"

Lila beamed.

"Well I'm glad no one got hurt." Lila said, turning to the girl's guardian. "Are you her mother?"

The woman flushed at first, but Mari gave an enthusiastic word of confirmation.

"Yep!" It was Mari's turn to beam, hugging the waist of her mother. "Mom's the best!"

"Why don't you go play on the swings, Mari?" Mari's guardian suggested, and Lila found herself locked into social custom.

Friggin' Americans...

"Be careful!"

"I will!"

Mari bounded off for the monkey bars, hair flowing wildly around her shoulders.

"My name's Bridgette," Mari's guardian introduced, beckoning her over to a bench.

"Lila," she said, using the English pronunciation. "Your daughter's very cute, Bridgette."

"Thank you," Bridgette brushed a hair out of her face. "I always wanted to adopt a child, and Mari's just a ray of sunshine."

"I'm sure she is. She has a lovely name. When did you adopt her?"

"About three years ago," Bridgette said. "Her name's actually Ma Li, it's Chinese."

"Do you know what it means?"

Bridgette flushed and shook her head.

"I'm really not in touch with my own culture," Bridgette admitted, looking self-conscious. "But I'm hoping that Mari and I can learn together."

"Well," Lila started. "The first character can be a bit ambiguous, but the second one can mean "beautiful"."

Bridgette's eyes went comically wide.

Lila giggled. "My parents were diplomats. I know more about other countries than I know about my own."

"That would be?"

"Italy."

"Ah," Bridgette nodded. "Have you ever gone back?"

Lila shook her head. She didn't really want to return to Europe in general.

Too many memories.

"I'm busy with college for now," Lila explained.

"Oh," Bridgette blinked. "How old are you?"

"Twenty-one."

Bridgette laughed. "I'm twenty-seven. You're older than I was thinking."

"Oh really?" Usually she was thought to be older than she actually was.

Maybe it was the adulthood thing.

"I think it's the ribbons," Bridgette said. "They're very cute and make you look younger."

Tanned hands fumbled with the twin red ribbons in a fashion Lila hadn't done for years.

"Yeah," Lila murmured, suddenly reminded of why she hadn't immediately left after Mari's apology. "A friend of my gave them to me."

"I might try ribbons with Mari's hair," Bridgette said, lost in thought.

"I could give you one of mine, if you want." Lila said without thinking.

Bridgette shook her head sharply. "No, you said a friend gave these to you. You should keep them, I can buy Mari her own-"

"Really." Lila said, untying the ribbons from her sidelocks. "I have many more."

She only split the inventory with Alya, after all.

"Still," Bridgette smiled politely, and Lila realized she had overstepped her boundaries.

Mari was just a random little girl who'd bumped into her. Oddly open as Americans were, Lila was being strange.

"All right," Lila said, and tied the ribbons again.

"Your friend," Bridgette was frowning. "Did something happen?"

"Was I so obvious?"

"Sorry," Bridgette smiled bashfully. "You just looked kinda sad at first."

"Yeah," Lila sighed. Might as sound a bit less weird. "She passed away a few years ago."

"I'm so sorry," Bridgette murmured. "May I ask-"

Lila shrugged, finishing the butterfly knot on the left fox tail. How animal terms amused her now.

"It was an accident," she said, even though it wasn't.

"Then you should definitely keep those ribbons," Bridgette said. "They're a memory of your friend."

Lila smiled sadly. "Thank you. I think I should. But at the same time..."

Her gaze turned to Mari, swinging across the monkey bars as though she was born for it.

"Mari reminds me of her, really," Lila smiled a bit wider. "Always rushing into things."

Bridgette laid a hand on her shoulder.

"I'm sorry."

Lila exhaled, then tossed a smile at the woman.

"Thanks," she said, eyes flickering over to Mari. Then back to her guardian.

"I should go," she said, turning to her phone. "I have an appointment."

Bridgette smiled back.

"Bye, Lila."

"See ya."

Bridgette turned back to her daughter. Mari sat proudly atop the bars, giggling loudly.

She shivered, though not one of fear.

Deep blue eyes turned to the place where Lila once was.

There, lying innocently, were two silk ribbons, coloured red as blood.

Bridgette looked around for where Lila had gone, but the brunette was nowhere in sight.

She frowned, but picked up the ribbons regardless. They were soft, new and freshly sewn. They felt handmade, not that Bridgette could quite tell.

She was a designer, not a seamstress.

But half an hour later, when Mari had thoroughly exhausted herself on the playground, playing Sandman with the other children, Bridgette found herself suggesting to her daughter.

"The young lady you bumped into wanted to give you these." She said to the child.

Mari held the silk ribbons with a look of awe.

"They're so soft! They're just like the ones she was wearing."

Bridgette smiled. "Do you want me to tie them in your hair?"

Mari nodded her head eagerly, turning around so Bridgette could do her hair.

Lacking a comb, Bridgette made so with her fingers, tying Mari's hair neatly into twin braids, with the bows at the end.

Mari squealed in delight and ran her hands over the butterfly bows, before hugging her mother.

"I should thank the pretty lady," Mari said. "That's what I'm supposed to do, right?"

Bridgette nodded, but then realized she'd never exchanged numbers with the woman.

"Maybe next time we see her," she said instead. "How about we go get the cake now for your birthday tomorrow?"

"Yeah!"

The mother and daughter duo left the park, and the illusion fell.

Volpina didn't smile very often, even less so since her rounds in Paris.

But just once, her lips curled into a genuine, pleased smile.

Then, hair flowing freely, she bounded off into the trees before anyone could catch sight of her.

She had a memorial to attend.


	19. S for Soft

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This became more of Lila/Marinette/Adrien than I intended. Oops.

Lila very reluctantly admitted that she had a soft spot for animals.

Even more so, she had a soft spot for soft animals surrounding her girlfriend.

Particularly canines, but this was Adrien's mansion, not hers.

One of the many cats hissed at her. She was tempted to transform and growl right back.

"Lila, help me," Marinette begged between high pitched giggles. A cat settled on her stomach and began purring.

Soon Adrien walked in, all smiles and still looking rather handsome despite the work clothes and the messy hair.

Converting the Agreste mansion and surrounding land into an animal shelter was an idea she had been shocked by, initially.

She had been inside the mansion before the whole ordeal with the Papillon's defeat, and she couldn't imagine the pristine floors and human-oriented design working for animals.

But Adrien had money, and that meant anything could happen.

(He also began helping with orphaned children and the foster care system, but Lila supposed that his less than stellar social skills wouldn't be as helpful as his money.)

"Adrien, your cats are killing me." Marinette whined beneath a pile of purring cats of various sizes. "Where are my knights in shining armour?"

"Sorry," Lila shrugged. "Dogs and cats just don't mix."

"Volpina's a fox!"

"Foxes are canines."

Adrien pulled out a plastic bag of treats and shook it.

A flood of cats descended upon him and meowed plaintively at him.

Lila giggled at Marinette's state. She was covered in cat fur.

"Come on, now," she leaned over and helped the girl to her feet. "I hope you're not planning on getting a cat now."

"Oh hush," Marinette said, shoving the girl playfully. She followed with a sneeze.

"I'd say bless you, but it seems you've already been-"

"You're just as bad as Adrien," Marinette cut her off. "You just use tacky pick up lines."

"Are they working?"

"I'm your girlfriend!"

"So they're working."

"Annalise!" Adrien yelled, "Can you help with the cats, please?"

There was a quick patter of feet, and a brunette appeared through one of the doors.

"I got this, Adrien," the assistant said. "You can get on with your business."

She pulled out a toy mouse and flung it into the other room.

The cats moved as one, racing after the toy and leaving Adrien mostly cat-free.

"Thank you!" He called to the departing girl. "This was harder than I imagined," Adrien grinned at the girls.

"Yeah, yeah, crazy cat dude Adrien Agreste." Lila shrugged. "What amazing headlines."

"They were so soft, though!" Marinette squealed. "And fluffy and their paws were so cute and the toe beans-"

"Toe beans?"

"Their little pads! Aww it was just so adorable!"

"I'm still a dog person." Lila shrugged.

"Come on, Lila," Adrien raised an eyebrow. "No need to be jealous, just because the Lady likes cats more-"

"Jealous? Me? In your dreams, Agreste. Mari, aren't foxes cute too?"

"Oh-em-gee they are though! No offence Adrien, but their little bushy tails and the ears and they're fluffy too and-"

"You've been showing her all those pictures of foxes on Pinterest, haven't you?"

"I send her one every day. But don't act like I haven't seen you sending her cat videos either."

"Hey, they're funny!"

"But then cats have cute little whiskers! And their ears are fluff! But so do foxes and-"

Marinette let out a high pitched squeal.

"They're both so soft and cute!"

Lila shook her head. Her girlfriend could be really loud if she wanted.

"Just as cute as me?" She pouted.

"As cute as both of you," Marinette sighed, slinging her arms around her datemates' shoulders. "Cats and foxes are cute, but you're both cuter."

Adrien and Lila beamed.

"Just, less soft."

Five minutes later found Marinette buried under more cats.

Lila and Adrien idly sipped at their drinks as Marinette died from the fluff.

That should be soft enough.


	20. T for Toit [Roof]

Between Chat Noir and Volpina, Marinette was used to superheroes knocking on her window.

However she had to admit, had she not known they were trustworthy, she would have been a bit freaked out over their periodic not-visits.

Not-visits, because they didn't actually visit her so much as they visited her roof.

The dark haired girl stifled a scream of surprise as Volpina stretched on the rooftop, fox ears twitching ever so slightly. Orange-painted lips parted in a sleepy yawn, before the superhero blinked up at the civilian girl.

"Hey," Volpina said, as if they frequently met on Marinette's roof. "Shouldn't you be in bed?"

Marinette didn't quite stammer in response.

"S-shouldn't you be at home?!"

Volpina shrugged, rolling onto her back with her arms stretched out at her sides.

"AC broke in my apartment."

"So... You came to my roof?" Marinette knelt down next to the heroine. "Won't your family be looking for you?"

"Nah," Volpina replied. "My mom's out at work."

"Ah."

They fell into a silence.

Marinette stared at the superhero. Volpina's eyes had fluttered shut.

Even though Marinette was pretty sure she knew who Volpina was, the Miraculous was doing its job. Volpina's dark skin didn't seem similar to Lila's, and had the hero's eyes been open, Marinette was certain she wouldn't have been able to see Lila's green in Volpina's.

"Heard you got a girlfriend," Volpina said, eyes still shut.

"Who told you that?" Marinette asked.

She wondered if Volpina knew Marinette knew who she was.

"Oh, no one~"

Marinette sighed, and laid down next to the superhero.

"Her name's Lila," Marinette said, closing her eyes. "She's really important to me."

"She cute?"

Marinette felt a smile on her face.

"Very."

Volpina's giggle seemed to echo through the night.

"What about you?" Marinette asked, opening her eyes and turning to the seemingly black-haired girl.

The vixen hummed.

"There's a girl in my life," Volpina said at last, turning to Marinette and propping herself up on one arm. "She has the bluest eyes ever, and you could paint stars in her hair."

Marinette hoped the darkness hid enough of her blush.

"You know," Volpina said, leaning closely to Marinette. "Foxes have excellent night vision."

"Oh really?" Marinette failed to sound nonchalant. Her heart pounded in her ears. Did Volpina know...?

"Yep. I have no idea if it's better than a cat's, but they do have them."

"Interesting..."

Volpina grinned, and laid a hand over Marinette's. Green eyes gleamed as the superhero inched closer to the dark haired girl.

"Volpina," Marinette murmured, unsure of what to say.

"How long did you know, Marinette?" Volpina asked, hovering over the girl. "How did you know who I was?"

Marinette found herself smiling, perhaps out of nervousness.

Her answer would be easy, it would be simple, but it would require another lie.

"You saved me from that akuma," Marinette recounted, turning away from her girlfriend. "And then you showed up and apologized and said you would Paris safe."

"For you."

Marinette jerked her gaze back to the superhero. Volpina pulled back, sitting on the ground. Her face was stoic.

"I thought that Ladybug and Chat Noir could handle the akumas as long as they actually showed up every now and then." The girl's words were dripping with disdain. "But I can't trust them after what happened to you."

"Lila-"

"Please, call me Volpina."

Marinette sat up slowly, and crawled over to the girl.

"Volpina," she said, laying a hand on the heroine's face. "Thank you."

She couldn't tell if she felt the girl's face heat up, before Volpina pulled her into a hug.

Marinette giggled despite herself, wrapping her arms around the girl. The costume felt strange under her fingers, but there was a warmth radiating from the heroine that Marinette never felt as Ladybug.

Ladybug...

"Can I stay the night?"

"Well," Marinette murmured into the girl's shoulder. "Now that you've asked instead crashing on my roof..."

Volpina giggled, ruffling her girlfriend's hair slightly. Marinette's smile twitched at the movement.

"Your roof is nice," Volpina said. "I'd like to sunbathe sometime here too."

"No," Marinette groaned, pulling back. She glared hard into the heroine's eyes. "Not as Volpina! Alya and the paparazzi are gonna go nuts."

Volpina let go of the girl and squealed, hands on either side of her face.

"You're so cute when you say Italian words!"

Marinette couldn't deny she was blushing. It seemed as Volpina or Lila, the girl was still a polyglot.

(Despite the fact that the Miraculous overcame language barriers, but Marinette wasn't supposed to know that. Volpina could figure it out herself when she yelled at a bunch of tourists in Italian to get out of the way already and quit taking pictures of her when they were about to be attacked by a 50-metre robot.)

"Aww," Volpina cooed. "You're blushing!"

"You're so mean!" Marinette hid her face behind her hands.

Volpina's laugh echoed through the darkness.

"I'm sorry," the heroine said with a smile. "I just think you're really cute when you blush like that."

"Oh god you're making it worse."

"Well, I wasn't lying when I said you could hang stars in your hair."

"That's cheesy."

"It's true!"

"Have you seen stars?"

"Have _you_ , city girl?"

Marinette sighed and shook her head. She hadn't left Paris in her life. The lights from the city were the only lights she saw at night.

There was a low tune, and Marinette blinked as Volpina's flute materialised in her hands. An orange glow lit up at the end of the weapon and Volpina fired it into the sky.

One by one, little dots of light appeared in the darkness. It was like looking through little pinholes. Soon, the entire sky was alight with stars.

Marinette was speechless. She had never seen Volpina's power used in such a peaceful setting.

"It won't last forever," Volpina said, wrapping her arms around Marinette's waist and resting her chin on her girlfriend's shoulder.

"What did you do?"

Volpina giggled into her ear. "I'm just showing you what I remember stars as."

"They're beautiful..."

"I would have liked to just show you the real stars but, that requires getting rid of light pollution. And I don't want to cause any accidents for the poor civilians on the ground there."

Marinette leaned into the girl.

"Maybe one day we'll go out and see them for real."

Volpina hummed, pressing a kiss against Marinette's neck.

"Maybe."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In all seriousness, taking in the fact that canon Marinette's hair is dark blue, I really need to see a night-sky kind of depiction of her hair because that would be amazing.
> 
> (Alternatively her eyes but I imagine those to be a brighter dark-blue than her hair... if that makes sense.)

**Author's Note:**

> btw not all of this is really in any type of order I would have loved to have everything go chronologically but there were certain words I couldn't bear to change so
> 
>  
> 
> [Check me out on tumblr for more stuff on writing, including wips and previews.](http://vivifics.tumblr.com/)


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